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Nice that this mlm thinks of women as numbers to be used for the gain of a few NSD’s, the CEO’s at Corp and the heirs. Sadly those who also profit from this scam have never worked the field lugging those useless products around and humiliating themselves lying to a potential gullible woman. All they do is constantly change their products at the expense of their sales force and mislead them with slogans or spiritual sayings. The company offers little in real benefit. No real training, no real advertising, overpriced ever changing unsellable products and a saturated market after fifty plus years of this scam.

How do you become a millionaire doing MLM? –
Start off as a billionaire.

How do you become a millionaire in MLM? –
Start one.

(Note: Starting one means being the founder and not the stupid consultant aka customer lining the founders’ pockets. Clarification made in case consultants somehow thought they were starting a business and the reference was to them and not Mary Kay herself. Ei yi yi)

I don’t like MLM marketing at churches, schools, or other businesses. It is like, do you belong to a church for religious reasons or to expand your MLM network?

I mentioned this to a church leader, his wife was aggressively “networking” all of the women in the church group. It made me uncomfortable when every single church meeting had a large pink MK tote, filled with products, brochures prominently front and center, and she was gushing how she could be a SAHM, with plenty of money for crafts, due to a few hours a week helping women learn how to use makeup and improve their appearance.

He dismissed my suggestion that MK products should not be at any religious meeting. I went above him, only to find out that the religious organization was really filled with MLM advocates. I decided at that time that my religion was really a giant MLM. And ended my relationship with organized religion.

I want to add, that then, any volunteer activity, such as making quilts for veterans or hats for preemie babies, became a “quasi” MK sales meeting. And it became a social clique, you were either part of the “in group” as a MK associate, or you were not, and ostracized by the group leader.

It was like some sort of junior high social drama. Which I left decades ago.

It did make me sad that the church leadership felt that MLM marketing at every single church function was okay.

I presume the “right groups” would be those who operate on fact and not belief. Otherwise, all believers are essentially the same. In defense of Kaybots, no doubt they believe they are doing the right thing; as do other groups who believe in what they believe.

Belief can be so dangerous especially when we judge or condemn others’ beliefs – based on what is merely our own beliefs. Think of all the religious wars of the past and to this day. How many people here think they are the only ones “saved” because of a religion, and think all other living beings on the planet are doomed? Ridiculous.

Maybe beliefs are overrated and just simply the popular norm depending on where you live? Maybe we should all stick with facts – or simply accept what is not yet known? Regardless, defining any “belief” as fact puts us all in the same group – that of mere believers. One example might be to look where “believing” in Mary Kay got people financially.

Humans can believe in anything they want. Whatever works for them. But we when we judge, cause divide, or try to recruit others into our belief system, whether it be MLM or religion, it makes us all hypocrites. It’s believers judging other believers regardless of the subject matter not based on fact.

There is a reason MLM is so closely tied to religious cults and the churches that house them.

I’m sorry you had such a bad church experience. It sounds like you were the victim of a loosely organized independent church, rather than a traditional mainstream denomination. I’ve been a church-goer all my life, always in a traditional denomination, and NEVER been accosted like that by MLM-ers.

I don’t know, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints a “mainstream” religion? It seems to be filled with people who see church as an opportunity to expand their MLM network. Utah is rife with MLM marketing, Nutralife, Metalucca, MK, even old Amway still is entrenched.

I’m going to limit what I say, because this isn’t a forum for proselytizing. Also, I’ve known plenty of LDS members outside of Utah who are as good as people get.

tah is a hotbed of MLM activity, perhaps THE national hotbed. Always has been. It’s no surprise that a large social organization with roots in Utah would have members steeped in MLM activity.

Elsewhere in the country I’ve seen the same MLM taint afflict my friends in small independent non-denominational churches. When they practice Prosperity Gospel and “name it and claim it” you’ll often find MLMs gaining a strong foothold.

Where I haven’t seen MLMs have much impact is the traditional Christian churches: Methodist, Lutheran, mainstream Baptist, Episcopal, Catholic, Orthodox, and others.

So all I suggest is that before completely walking away from organized religion, you might investigate some other denominations.

MLM Radar, thanks for weighing in on this issue with some excellent points. There is nothing I would add to what you have just said. How unfortunate that MLM activity in some churches is not only condoned, but encouraged. (Grateful that you referenced mainstream Baptist, as I have encountered MLM participants in other Baptist denominations, including staff or family members, but that’s another story.)

I’m pretty sure I read an article that Dr. Taylor wrote specifically about MLM among Mormons in Utah. I did a quick search and couldn’t find it, but I’ll try and locate it later and post a link on here.

As a Mormon, I can tell you that they love MLMs because of the cult like worship and how they all mention God so much. There’s also something about prosperity, the more money you have the more righteous you clearly are.